Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Obstacles Welcome

Obstacles Welcome is a great title for this easy to read leadership book, which also packed a good punch. Ralph de la Vega recounts his life story as he migrated to Florida from Cuba. He recalls the struggles, even the issues he had to deal with as a child and how they shaped him into the leader he is today.

de la Vega is the President and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. He came to the United States without his parents and was raised by friends of his parents. Then after he settled into a new way of living life, his parents arrived in the United States and he had to help acclimate them.

This is an inspiring story about the decisions he had to make along the way to becoming the CEO of AT&T Mobility. While this is not a church leadership book, many of his principles are universal and can be applied personally or corporately.

There were many personal stories de la Vega told which were interesting to see how the corporate giant AT&T operated. He gives practical insight into how we went about making decisions, even when he was unsure about a situation, he walks you through his process.

I also liked this book because, unlike many books on leadership that tend to be all theory and not practicality (which is fine, to a point), de la Vega gives good, practical advice on creating actions plans, taking calulated risks, vision, recognition of obstacles as opportunities, unlearning "old-think", etc.

I would recommend this book to those who are interested in ways in which others face conflict, calculate risk in decision making, seek vision, and use obstacles as a means for opportunities in their personal, as well as business life. This was an encouraging book to read.

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About Me

I love to hang out with my boys and play sports, wrestle and play PS2 with them, and to have them hug me and say "I love you." I love to hang out with my wife, she is absolutely beautiful, (inside and out), the nicest and kindest person I know. Actually that's not about me, that's what helps me to live my life. Finally, without Jesus I'd be lost, there are too many scriptures to quote. But for me it is life transformation (2 Cor. 5:17) and living the super abundant life Jesus gives us (John 10:10b). Be a Jesus Freak!